Schumer Announces Over $241,000 for Capital Region Crime Control and Prevention Programs

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that $241,913 has been awarded to organizations in the Capital Region by the U.S. Department of Justices Office of Justice Programs (OJP) under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. The City of Albany will receive $150,000, Schenectady County will receive $57,980 and the City of Troy will receive $33,933. The federal funds will be used for crime control and prevention programs.

When it comes to protecting our citizens, we need to be tough on crime and smart on prevention," Schumer said. These much needed funds will help to bring the quality people and firstrate technology that allow Capital Region families to live safely and comfortably.

The City of Albany will use the $150,000 in federal funds for approximately 3,333 additional overtime hours for police officers. The Albany Police Department will use the additional hours to provide officer support for Operation IMPACT, Projects Safe Neighborhoods, and Quality of Life Task Force, the School Dismissal Detail and the Project Ceasefire Initiative. Also the Police Department will use the overtime to provide officers for parole and probation home visits.

The County of Schenectady will use $40,000 in federal funds to establish a Community Accountability Board to act as an alternative sentencing option for the City Court. Also, $8,000 will be used by the County District Attorneys Office to hire a parttime investigator to detect illegal drug activity and serve eviction notices for noncompliant property owners. The City of Schenectady will use $9,980 in federal funds to contract the services of a crime analyst to identify emergent crime problems and measure outcomes of current crime reduction strategies.

The City of Troy will use $33,933 in federal funds for approximately 928 hours of overtime for police officers. The overtime hours will be used for uniformed foot patrols in the downtown business district to enhance community policing efforts.

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice for any one or more of the following purpose areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment programs; and 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs.